A teacher who helped students to cheat in 2019 is now an assistant headmaster – Kofi Asare
Mr. Kofi Asare, the executive director for African Education watch
Renowned education advocate, Kofi Asare, has appealed to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to operate independently from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and its staff members.
As the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Asare believes that engaging GES teachers and personnel during examinations contributes to numerous challenges, including cheating and other malpractices.
During an interview on Joy FM’s midday news, Asare highlighted that WAEC relies on the very teachers who instructed the students to oversee the examination process. Consequently, despite efforts by the Ministry of Education to combat malpractices, some invigilators and teachers collude to facilitate cheating.
Asare provided an example, stating, “I am aware of a teacher who was captured on video dictating answers to a Management in Living question during one of our documentaries in a specific school in Bono. At the time, this teacher was instructing Management in Living. Presently, he holds the position of assistant headmaster in another school.”
He further explained that instances of teachers accepting money from students, providing them with answers via WhatsApp groups, and allowing copying during exams are possible because WAEC can only be present in approximately 20% of the examination centers at any given time.
To mitigate such malpractices and ensure the integrity of examinations, Asare recommended that WAEC adopt measures aligned with international best practices. One such measure is engaging third-party entities with no vested interest in the examination outcomes.
Asare elaborated, stating, “This approach helps prevent conflicts of interest and reduces the corruption risks associated with teachers assessing their own students, as the students’ results, in a way, reflect the teachers’ performance.”
Additionally, Asare called for the dismissal of teachers involved in examination malpractices, including aiding students in cheating. He expressed concern that the current disciplinary measures outlined in the Code of Conduct for Teachers are insufficient, categorizing such actions as offenses but not warranting immediate dismissal.
He also urged the GES to strengthen its sanctions in the Code of Conduct to address collusion and participation in examination fraud more effectively.
After the release of the results, the Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum said that this year’s results are the best since 2015 which caught the attention of former President John Mahama to response, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mahama questioned the authenticity of the results, alleging that some invigilators turn a blind eye to teachers assisting students during exams. He expressed concern about the future consequences for the country’s educational system, emphasizing that students armed with fraudulent certificates may face difficulties when seeking admission to foreign schools.
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
